Sandra Enterline, says Sharon Church, “uses light as a significant design element in all her work, creating mystery by revealing interior space and its contents through drilled holes and piercing.”

How she describes her work: “I make strong, simple, sculptural objects that are complex and layered, the interior discovered over time.”

Her training: “I earned my associate’s degree in jewelry and metalsmithing at the Rochester Institute of Technology School for American Crafts. From there I studied at Rhode Island School of Design and received my BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing.”

Her biggest artistic influence: “Definitely sculpture, not so much jewelry. The work of Wolfgang Laib, Martin Puryear, Louise Bourgeois, to name a few, have left a strong impression on me.”

Why she makes jewelry: “I drill holes because I like to.”

Her biggest challenge: “Time. I’m really trying to make the pieces look as though they were easy to make, that they just flowed out of me – somewhere between technically perfect and exuding an organic, rustic feel. While the effect of the technique may look easy to do, every single detail, angle, and millimeter of the work is considered. And that’s exhausting. A piece is only finished if it feels alive and vibrant, the interior and exterior constantly interacting.”

Her biggest reward: “When I sell a major or challenging piece that I feel really good about. It is very scary to buy $5,000 worth of diamond slices and then hope to make a successful piece of it. My diamond work is nontraditional. The investment in materials, however, challenges me to really make the piece clearly wearable – something I would wear.”

What’s next: “I am collecting bags of broken windshield glass for a new body of sculpture.”

Read the rest of the profiles of jewelry artists in this issue.